


Tea and a Biscuit

by Warped_Alignment



Series: Requested Fanfics [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Harry Potter Has Nightmares, Mentor Minerva McGonagall, Protective Minerva McGonagall, Tea Parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29284701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warped_Alignment/pseuds/Warped_Alignment
Summary: Harry has a nightmare. He doesn't even know how he got here.
Relationships: Minerva McGonagall & Harry Potter
Series: Requested Fanfics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2203311
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	Tea and a Biscuit

Harry doesn't even know how he ended up here. He remembers waking up, shaking and sweating. He remembers walking the hallways. But when he got here, he has no idea. He's stood outside the door of McGonagall's office, fist hovering over the door, ready to knock. He considers not knocking for a moment. Walking away, like nothing ever happened. But the thought of going back to bed horrifies him, the thought of being alone haunts him, and the idea of waking someone up makes him shudder. 

So his fists neatly knock upon the door, rapping three times. He waits, standing on his own, shivering, still in his pyjamas, and considering what someone would see if they walked past. But no-one does, and he stands his ground. After a while, he thinks maybe she didn't hear him, or doesn't want to be disturbed by something like this, so he turns to leave. He makes it a few steps down the hallway when the door swings open, and he hears his name being called after him. He turns around quickly, and heads back towards her. 

"What are you doing here so late, Mr Potter?" she asks, but concern is showing on her face , and Harry considers the fact that maybe coming here was a good idea after all. He looks at her for a moment, words beginning to form on his lips, but when he tries to form them, nothing but a small squeak escapes his mouth. 

McGonagall springs into action, ushering the boy into her office, and directing him into a red chair next to the fire. He hears her shuffling around behind him, the familiar sound of a kettle boiling, and a rattling noise.

When she emerges again, she has a tray in her hands. Resting on the tray is a tea set, china with golden handles, and a bowl full of biscuits. She smiles fondly at the boy, drawing a cigarette holder from the table beside her chair, and lighting a cigarette onto the end of it. 

She waves her wand, serving the tea to him, and he smiles back at her, a little lost in the warmth of the room. She waited for him to make his tea, taking a drag from her cigarette before she started to speak, 

"What happened, Mr Potter?" she asked, taking another puff, watching him try to avoid her scrutinising gaze. She wanted to reassure the boy, but had no idea how to help, so she simply waited for him to be ready. 

"I-I had a dream." the boy told her. 

"A dream?" she questioned, 

"Yes. Well-no-a nightmare." she nodded in understanding, and he continued,

"I don't remember my parents." she knew this already, but allowed him to go on with his explanation, "But, ever since I got my letter, I-" his voice wavered, "I'll remember something, and I don't even know if it's true." a tear rolled down his cheek, and he took another sip of his tea, "Tonight, I remembered the night. The night they-" he broke off, staring into the fire. He whispered, barely audible,

"I don't even know if it was real." This confession broke her heart to hear, and she wanted nothing more than to hug him, but she contained it, resigning herself to sadly watching as he sniffed. She took another puff of her cigarette, before putting it out. She reached over to the tray, and picked up the bowl of biscuits. She sat a little closer, and handed the bowl to him. 

"Have a biscuit, Potter." she told him, smiling kindly at the young boy sitting in front of him. He picked up a bourbon, placing it into his mouth. The sweetness was comforting, something he hadn't experienced in a while, but something he needed. He didn't remember the last time he'd had a biscuit given to him by his guardians, and it was not unpleasant.

"It is good that you are remembering things," she told him, and he looked up from his pensive position, frowning. She hastily added, "Your father and mother were brilliant people." 

Harry forgot that she taught his parents, and looked puzzled for a moment, before remembering again. 

"What were they like?" he asked. 

McGonagall thought for a moment, remembering the fondness she had for his father, much like himself, and how hard he fought for what he thought was right, how stubborn he was, and how far he'd go for his friends. She thought about Sirius Black, who then betrayed that trust, and of Remus Lupin, wherever he was, suffering at the loss of all his friends, and she thought of poor, sweet, Peter Pettigrew, who was also gone, and of how brave he had been. Tears sprung in her own eyes as she thought of the four boys, the thorns in her side, and how much things had changed for them. 

And then there was Lily. Sweet, precious Lily, the brightest witch of her age, not unlike another muggleborn witch who Harry spent time with. She thought of her encounters with the four boys, and how she saw them change, and how, in the end, she fought alongside them, and not against her. She thought of how much she loved, and how much she cared for everyone, and she frowned, not knowing quite how to put the emotions she felt about them into words. She blinked her tears away, 

"They were brilliant, Mr Potter. They were some of the best of our kind." He nodded, 

"I wish I remembered them." he whispered, and she smiled at the boy, 

"They were fantastic, and they loved you more than you could imagine. They sacrificed themselves to save you, and so if you did remember them, you'd likely not be here today. You are very lucky, Mr Potter, to have family who loved you so much."

"Thank you, Professor." he said quietly. He smiled as he took another biscuit, "I think I prefer being here, too."

"Here? In my office?" He nodded, 

"Not many places you get free tea and biscuits" her smile widened, 

"Free? I think not, Mr Potter." 

He raised an eyebrow. 

"You shall have to win some house points before we do this again." she said with a chuckle. 

Harry decided he was glad he came here after all. 


End file.
